Everything burns
by carlycarter
Summary: aka 'Myka burns the Warehouse to the ground'  - The aftermath of the re-bronzing of HG Wells.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Simply because i'm having a really crappy day! Total crack!fic (now that someone kind splained to me what crack!fic is)

Set around the timeline of "Vendetta"- Although I changed a few small things for the purposes of my absurd plot. HG Wells is suspected of killing Dickinson and finds herself re-bronzed.

A few small technical errors- 1/ How far exactly is it to the Warehouse from the B&B? I do not know. For example- if the Warehouse was on fire, could you see it from the B&B? My answer is yes.

2/ Does Leena have strange mystical medical diagnostic powers? Again my answer (for the purposes of this fic) is yes.

Really not any particular ship. If you want to look hard enough I suppose it flickers between Myka/Pete and Myka/HG in subtext, but i can't claim that it falls decisively either way, so please yourself :)

The characters are twisted I realise- Mostly Pete who was actually a lot more understanding of Myka/HG in the show than I depict him here. Artie however is a bit nicer in the fic, perhaps because he got his way and HG is re-bronzed. Myka is just totally insane- I love her a little like that. And i'm afraid to mention Claudia now I find out just how much my favourite W13 friend hates her (you know who you are!).

This is written in total fun and not seriousness- because if I wrote a serious fic about HG being re bronzed I think Myka would break my heart into little pieces, and I have enough broken hearted Myka fics. All in total fun and amusement and no offence intended. This came from god knows where and is going nowhere. But if you still want to read it, then do so :) Enjoy :)

Chapter 1

The bang is deafening, shaking the foundations of the B&B. Artie Nielson is rudely jolted from his sleep, and he is far from pleased.

Seconds later, he stands on the verandah, horror struck. The cool night air chills him to the bone as he surveys the sight before his eyes. The gigantic red-orange flames leaping into the sky. The eerie glow the only source of illumination in the middle of nowhere at 3am.

One unshakable thought crosses his mind- _Mrs Frederic is going to be VERY unhappy about this._

Within seconds the red haired girl is at his side. "Holy Shit, what happened?' She stands gaping at the sight. "Is that the warehouse? On fire?"

Artie only shakes his head. They aren't close enough to get an accurate picture of the damage, but it's fairly obvious that the warehouse is engulfed in flames. "Another one bites the dust." He mumbles.

"Where are Pete and Myka?" Claudia adds looking over her shoulder. "Not even Pete could sleep through an explosion like that."

It's then that the sinking feeling creeps over Artie, _just where are Pete and Myka?_

_Earlier that day_

"You ok?" Pete asked.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Myka demanded to know.

He raised his hands in defeat. He was only trying to help. He didn't deserve the way she was treating him. None of this was his fault. He almost walked away but he couldn't stand the way things had disintegrated between them. "You've been kind of quiet lately." He told her, concerned.

"Get a life, Pete." She responded coldly.

It's not that he entirely approved of the principle of bronzing in general, or in particular the regents decision to re-bronze HG Wells. But he had to trust Artie. There must have been a reason. Myka didn't really think HG Wells could walk back into her old job, just like that? Surely. Not even Myka could be that naïve. Whether he thought it right or wrong, Pete absolves himself of responsibility. It wasn't his call. And he had more than a little trouble understanding Myka's total devastation over the situation, or why she would want to start a war with Artie over it. It was pointless. HG was back where she belonged. End of story. But Myka couldn't quite let it go.

"It had to be done Myka. It was out of Artie's hands. She was a danger. She killed Dickinson for crying out loud." Pete knew it was futile to engage Myka in a conversation about HG Wells. He was only banging his head against a brick wall. But he still held that hope that he could get through to her as he always did, that he could snap her out of it. He felt the need to stick up for Artie- after all Artie had a point, Myka shouldn't have gone behind his back, colluding with the enemy. It surprised Pete totally. He thought of her as a rule follower. It frightened him more than a little to realise how little he knew her. He though he knew her better than that.

"She was framed." Myka answered assuredly. "Why would she kill Dickinson? What possible motive could she have?" Myka argued.

"She is a crazy murderer who's been bronzed for a hundred years. Myka, open your eyes."

"Open YOUR eyes, Pete." She replied to him. "This is barbaric, unconscionable. She is a human being."

"It's not my decision. It's not Artie's. I don't know what has gotten into you, but you need to get the hell over it, Myka. Make peace with Artie, and let it go. You're acting crazy and it scares me. I can't work like this."

"You don't trust me, Pete? You don't want to work with me anymore? Fine."

"That isn't what I said." He mumbled , but she was already long gone.

They spoke little after that, and never about HG Wells. Pete learned his lesson that it was better to keep well out of it. Let Myka hate Artie for it, Let Artie resent her for keeping the secret in the first place. He only wanted a quiet life. But it disturbed him greatly when he realised just how successfully HG Wells had managed to drive a wedge of mistrust and animosity between him and his partner.

It was partly his desire to make things right with Myka that led him to follow her when he heard her stir in the middle of the night. Partly it was sheer curiosity. He followed her, undetected, down the stairs, out into the night, and all the way to the Warehouse. Specifically, all the way right to the bronze sector.

Back to the Present 

The scene is even more devastating up close. The entire warehouse reduced to smouldering ashes. Everything is still, quiet, all but for the crackling flames. Seconds go by before Artie catches sight of the movement in his peripheral vision. As he approaches, he makes the sight out before him. Pete, dragging Myka's limp lifeless body from the wreckage. For a fleeting moment he is convinced she is dead. He stops in his tracks, as Leena and Claudia rush past him to reach her.

"She hit her head. I tried to stop the bleeding." Pete manages to choke out over the smoke filling his lungs.

As Artie nears the scene, he sees her chest rising and falling with each breath. His own heart starts beating again. His head is filled suddenly with all the things they had said to one another this past week. All the harsh words he would have cause to regret if they turned out to be the last words he ever spoke to her.

"Should we take her to a hospital?" Claudia asks.

"She'll be fine." Lenna says, surveying the damage. "It's just a nasty concussion. We need to get her back to the B&B."

No one questions just how Leena can tell that Myka will be fine. Everyone wants to believe it, and so it is.

It's Artie who reaches down and takes Myka in his arms, as Pete is still gasping for air after inhaling all that smoke. She is limp in his arms, lifeless, like a doll. Ash and soot marring her complexion. She looks so vulnerable, so innocent. He longs to lean down and whisper to her that he is sorry. That he can see that she was close to HG Wells, that the way things turned out was out of his hands. He wants to tell her he was only so angry because he cares so much about his team, because he has lost so many people, because he doesn't want to count her among them. But he says nothing as he places her gently in the car. She never stirs. And hastily the group make their way back to the B&B.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

Back the B&B

Mrs Frederic's eerily calm voice echoes over the farnsworth as Artie breaks the news. He braces himself for her reaction. But she says only this "Not again." Punctuated by a weary sigh."Were there any casualties?"

"Myka has concussion, she'll be fine." Artie informs her.

Moments of silence go by before she picks up the conversation again."You should get started immediately, combing the area for any artifact that survived the blast, the remnants needs to be neutralised, and moved to a safe secure location. I'm sure you're aware of the procedure."

"There won't be any need for that. This is a little more serious than the event at Warehouse 12. Anything that survived the explosion was demolished in the all consuming fire. There is nothing left. Nothing but ashes."

"The bronze sector?" Mrs Frederic asks tentatively.

"That's gone too."

"Perhaps it's for the best."

He silently agrees, _yes perhaps it's for the best. _Although there is something unsettling when he allows himself to remember that there were people in there. Heinous people perhaps, but human beings just the same.

"The next priority is to get to the bottom of this, what exactly happened?" She asks.

"I'm not certain yet." He answers guardedly.

"You're not certain?" It's an accusation. "Why are you not certain, Arthur? What kind of a place are you running? Warehouses are not in the habit of exploding without good reason. I want a report on my desk within the hour."

* * *

"Pete. A word." Artie summons Pete away from Myka's bedside.

"But Myka...I don't want her to wake up alone." He protests.

"Leena can sit with Myka. It can't wait."

Reluctantly Pete submits and follows Artie into the kitchen.

"What happened?" Artie demands as he motions for Pete to sit.

"The Warehouse exploded."

"Yes, I can see that. Would you mind telling me how?"

"You're asking me?"

"Yes I'm asking you. What the hell did you do?"

"Whoa!" Pete stands from the table. He doesn't have time for this, Not when Myka is injured. "I didn't "do" anything!"

"What exactly were you and Myka doing at the warehouse at 3am?" Artie calls out after him.

Pete stops in his tracks, hastily fumbling to find an answer. He can't very well explain what really happened. He blurts out the first thing that comes into his head "We were making out." He admits to Artie sheepishly.

It's at that point Claudia- eavesdropping from the door way- drops her coffee cup to the floor in shock. The two men realise their conversation had not been as private as they had hoped.

"Dude you were what?" Claudia asks him to repeat it.

"Claudia, this does not concern you!" Artie bellows. But it's too late, she's already heard it straight from Pete's lips. Too late to take it back now.

He turns his attention back to Pete. "You were...'making out'? With your fellow agent? In the Warehouse? In the middle of the night?" Artie demands, his voice rising with each word.

Pete can't tell if Artie is horrified or sceptical about his story.

"Well, it's a little crowded around here, we wanted a bit of privacy. That's not a crime, is it?" Pete challenges him.

"Unbelievable. I don't expect this kind of unprofessional conduct from my agents. And you would have thought Myka would have learned her lesson with her last partner."

"Hey." Pete interrupts. "That isn't fair."

So engrossed in their conversation, none of them had heard the struggle ensuing upstairs. None of them heard Leena's feeble cries for assistance, nor heard the footsteps approaching the kitchen. Not until they heard Myka's voice from the doorway, and turned to find her, weapon poised, demanding "Who the hell are you?"

"Myka." Pete says hesitantly, confusion all over his face. "It's Pete. What are you doing?" He asks her slowly.

"I know who _you_ are, Lattimer. Unfortunately. Who are they?" She waves the weapon in Artie and Claudia's direction. "What the hell is going on?"

"Myka, it's me, Claudia." The girl speaks up.

Myka turns her attention to Pete. "Is this your latest girlfriend Lattimer? She's a little young don't you think?"

"Ewwwwww." Claudia moans at the prospect of her being Pete's girlfriend.

"She hit her head harder than I thought." Artie mumbles. "She must have memory loss."

"You should go lie down." Artie tries to tell her, reaching his hand towards her.

"Don't you dare touch me. " She orders, fire in her eyes as she turns the weapon towards him. There is something about him that she instinctively does not trust. There is something about him that makes her insanely angry, even though there is no reason she can see.

Artie takes a step back involuntarily. "Pete?" He calls out. "Do you think you could get her to put that gun down?"

Pete looks back at Artie helplessly, just what is he supposed to do?

"Myka, you hit your head." Pete tells her. "Put the gun down before someone gets hurt. That's Artie, our boss. No one here is trying to hurt you. I know it must be a little confusing, but I think if we all calm down we can sort this out. Ok?"

Myka scoffs at that particular idea as she surveys Artie. "Our boss? I don't think so. I don't know what is going on here but you'll have to do better than that! I'm calling Dickinson."

"Myka." Pete begins softly. But before he can say '_Myka, Dickinson is dead._' Artie cuts him off.

"There is no phone reception here. Sorry." Artie tells her, exchanging a look with Pete. It didn't seem wise to tell her Dickinson was dead while she was still brandishing that weapon.

It's then she grabs for the car keys on the table. She doesn't understand what is going on. She doesn't really care. She only knows that her head is killing her. She only knows that she has to get away from this place. She knows that there is something urgently important she has to do. Someone is waiting for her.

"Stop her, Pete." Artie is ordering. "She is in no condition to drive."

"Why me?" He asks, as Myka pushes past him out into the night.

"You're the only one she remembers!" Artie exclaims.

"She remembers hating me, you stop her." Pete suggests.

"She's _your_ partner."

"She has a gun!"

"So do you."

"You want me to shoot her?" Pete asks in disbelief.

"Oh for god's sake." Claudia mumbles pushing past them and chasing Myka into the night.

"Myka!" She calls out.

Myka turns around, just before she has reached the vehicle. "Are you talking to me, little girl?" She asks condescendingly.

Swiftly Claudia pulls out the Tesla she had been concealing under her jacket and aims it in Myka's direction.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Artie demands as he follows her outside.

At the same time as Pete pleads with her "No, Claudia, Don't. She already has a head injury."

But it's too late. Claudia has already fired the Tesla, before Myka can even make a move to stop her.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3 **_

HG Wells watches the scene unfold from a distance, furrowing her brow in confusion. She shakes her head as she observes the two men standing idly by as Claudia fires the Tesla in Myka's direction. It doesn't quite add up. Why would they turn on one of their own? Have they figured out that Myka set her free from the bronze sector? And if so, why were Artie and Pete just standing there?

Shivers run down her spine as she catches sight of Myka's body painfully convulsing before falling lifeless to the ground. She knows she should run, far and fast. But she simply can not bring herself to leave Myka behind.

Their plan had been vague. Come to think of it, the plan may have been intricate and extremely thorough. Knowing Myka, it would have been. It was her own understanding of the plan that was vague. All she knew for certain was that there _had _been a plan.

They never spoke of it, of course. It was something in Myka Bering's eyes. Something that gave HG hope. Myka wouldn't leave her there, for eternity, in the bronze sector. She knew without a shadow of a doubt, Myka was coming for her. She didn't know how, she didn't know when, she didn't really even understand why. But HG never wavered from her conviction that Myka would set her free.

She had never stopped to think beyond that. And she finds herself a little lost now.

She blinks her eyes, still stinging from the smoky haze of the explosion. She shakes the ash from her hair as she recalls the chaos of the fire at the warehouse. _The dense black smoke that made it impossible to see, impossible to breathe. She had been dazed and confused. And through it all, the one shining beacon had been Myka's sweet voice. _

_Telling her to run. _

_But HG Wells found she had no inclination to run. _

_Not until she had heard his voice through the mayhem. Just one word, Myka's name. And suddenly it sickened her to hear it from his lips. Even worse then his intrusion into their moment, was the way Myka turned to face him. Turned away instantly and completely. And HG lost sight of her through the smoke and flames._

_She wanted to be the one screaming Myka's name. She wanted to take Myka's hand, and never let it go. Wanted to be the one to protect her. To save her. Wanted to be the one Myka turned to. She wanted, fleetingly in the bitterness of the moment, to leave Pete Lattimer to burn in hell. _

_But she could do none of those things that she wanted. _

_The one thing she believed about Pete, was that he cared about Myka. That he was more than capable of making sure she made it out of the inferno alive. It crossed her mind, in that moment, that the best thing she could do for her own sake, and for Myka, was to disappear and never look back. _

_But she could not quite manage that either. _

She watches Artie wrestle the Tesla from Claudia's shaking hands. She watches Pete running towards Myka's lifeless body on the ground. The way he reaches down, cradling her in his arms, gently stroking her hair. It makes HG Wells want to scream. She vows in that moment, that this will be the last time Pete Lattimer is ever going to get his hands on Myka. It's the last time that he, or anyone, is going to come between them.

* * *

"I can not believe you did that." Pete voices his disapproval at Claudia's extreme methods of subduing Myka.

The girl looks to Artie to defend her. "You said '_Stop her_', and so, I did."

Artie only shakes his head in disbelief.

"Myka is gonna be really annoyed when she wakes up." Pete warns.

"She wont remember it." Claudia responds. "And at least I did something – you lot were just standing there completely useless."

"Maybe we should tie her up?" Leena suggests.

"You don't think that's a little unnecessary? " Claudia asks.

"Says the girl who shot Myka with the Tesla." Artie is quick to respond. "And you never did tell me where you got that from."

"She attacked me, tied me to a chair." Leena protests.

"Shouldn't you have, like, seen that coming?" Claudia teases, and is silenced by a cold, disapproving glance from Leena.

"We took her weapon. I don't think restraining her is going to be very productive at this point in time." Artie declares.

"Maybe she'll wake up fine? The Tesla might have knocked some sense back into her?" Pete wonders aloud.

"If you're so sure about that, you can be the one to sit with her this time." Leena tells him.

* * *

And Pete does sit with her. He watches over her while she sleeps. She seems so peaceful. So deceptively familiar to him. Everything seems like it is going to be ok.

He thinks about the Myka he had seen minutes earlier. The Myka who was a total stranger to him. He had gathered she was back at an earlier point in time. A time when they had both worked for Dickinson. She looked towards him with such disdain. It made his blood run cold.

Had she really had despised him, back then, as much as her hateful amnesiac stare seemed to indicate? He tells himself the answer is 'no'. She hit her head. She was confused. It wasn't conceivable that she really hated him _that_ much. He doesn't know how to relate to this version of Myka. This person who existed before he had connected with her. Before he managed to knock down just some of those walls and reach out to her. He feels powerless. And, truth be told, he is a little bit glad Claudia had intervened with the Tesla. Because he honestly doesn't think he would have been able to stop Myka from leaving any other way.

Pete wonders what will happen if Myka never remembers. He wonders if he will ever connect with her, if they will ever forge the close bond that he now treasures? He feels like he has lost her. She had been so cold. So utterly disrespectful. How had he ever connected with her in the first place if she had really been so intent on despising him?

As he sits by her side, holding her hand, he wonders if it would be worse if she actually does remember the things that happened?

And he realises, with sadness, that he has lost her either way.

_He doesn't quite remember clearly himself. Once the fire broke out, it had been chaos. He can't be certain his own recollection is flawless. He didn't see her strike the match. And he can't picture it when he tries to imagine it. But he had pried the burnt out match from her trembling fingers. _

_And more incriminating than even that, was her stare. The flames engulfing the warehouse were nothing compared to the fire in her eyes. It frightened him more than a little._

_There was little time for conversation at that point. Little time for anything but to grab her and drag her away from the blaze before the whole place exploded. She had been kicking and screaming, literally. Kicking and hitting him, hindering his heroic rescue attempts considerably. Screaming hysterically about the bronze sector. About HG Wells. About leaving people to die in a fiery inferno. _

"_We are gonna die if we don't get out of here!" He wasted his precious oxygen trying to reason with her. _

_And then, the deafening bang of the explosion silenced everything. _


End file.
